1.1.2 Types of processor
(a) The differences between and uses of CISC and RISC
processors.
Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)
• small instruction set
• each instruction is approximately one line of machine code and takes one clock
cycle
• has mostly replaced CISC as a processor design
Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC)
• large instruction set
• aims to accomplish tasks in as few lines of code as possible
• instructions are built into the hardware
• commonly used in embedded systems
RISC processors CISC processors
the compiler has to do more work to the compiler does less work to translate
translate high level code into machine high level code to machine code
code
more RAM is required to store the code less RAM is required since the code is
shorter
pipelining is possible since each many specialised instructions have to be
instruction takes one clock cycle made, even though only a few of them are
used
less expensive than CISC uses more materials therefore is generally
more expensive than RISC
(a) The differences between and uses of CISC and RISC
processors.
Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)
• small instruction set
• each instruction is approximately one line of machine code and takes one clock
cycle
• has mostly replaced CISC as a processor design
Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC)
• large instruction set
• aims to accomplish tasks in as few lines of code as possible
• instructions are built into the hardware
• commonly used in embedded systems
RISC processors CISC processors
the compiler has to do more work to the compiler does less work to translate
translate high level code into machine high level code to machine code
code
more RAM is required to store the code less RAM is required since the code is
shorter
pipelining is possible since each many specialised instructions have to be
instruction takes one clock cycle made, even though only a few of them are
used
less expensive than CISC uses more materials therefore is generally
more expensive than RISC
